Margaret
Clitherow, born in Yorkshire, England, was the wife of John Clitherow, whose
family was Catholic, although he had taken on the state religion of England long
before he married. Two or three years after her marriage, Margaret became a
Catholic. Her home became a stopping-off place for priests, and Mass was offered
secretly there.

Her husband went along with her interests, even when she sent their oldest
son to Douai, in France, to be educated. Not only was she devout, she was also a
zealous promoter of the faith, converting others and bringing back backsliders
to the practice of their religion. Meanwhile, the laws against the Catholic
faith became more harsh, and the. government was determined that Catholicism
should be stamped out in Yorkshire where it was especially strong.

Everyone loved St. Margaret Clitherow, and even her servants knew that she
hid fugitive priests, but no one betrayed her. She was a good housewife, capable
in business, dearly loved by her husband, whose only regret was that she would
not attend church with him. Her husband was summoned by the authorities to
explain why his oldest son had gone abroad, and the Clitherow house was
searched. A Flemish boy, from fear, revealed the hiding place of the priests
where chalices and vestments were kept. Margaret was arrested along with a
neighboring housewife who had attended Mass at the Clitherow home. Margaret's
only concern was that her family was safe.

She was brought to trial and would not plead, her only statement being,
"Having made no offense, I need no trial." If she had been tried, her
family would have been called as witnesses against her, and she was determined
that this would not happen. Reluctantly, the judge sentenced her to be
"pressed to death," a bizarre death sentence in which the condemned
was placed under a door (or similar object) and rocks piled on the door until
the person was crushed to death.

Margaret died on March 25, 1586, her last words being, "Jesu, Jesu, Jesu,
have mercy on me!" She was only thirty years old and was canonized in 1970.

Thought for the Day: Through everyday fidelity we are given the strength to
face the great crisis. St. Margaret Clitherow did not expect to die a martyr,
but she was faithful in the everyday practice of her religion. When the great
crisis came, she was ready.

From 'The Catholic One Year Bible': "A tree from good stock doesn't
produce scrub fruit nor do trees from poor stock produce choice fruit.... A good
man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds
from his hidden wickedness."—Luke 6:43-45

Taken from "The One Year Book of Saints" by Rev. Clifford Stevens
published by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.,
Huntington, IN 46750.